Award-winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rachael Sage will be joining iconic synth-pop pioneer and hit maker Howard Jones on the U.K. leg of his 2017 Spring Tour. Sage has often named Jones as one of her most beloved artists and a seminal influence on her songwriting, and while she has rarely covered other artists’ music, she used to perform his songs including “No One Is To Blame” at her regular solo piano gig while attending Stanford University.
“I’ve been touring for many years and enjoyed every minute of my eclectic, adventurous indie career so far”, enthuses Sage. “But when the phone rang a few days ago and I was told I would be supporting Howard Jones, it was quite literally a dream come true. It will be a huge honor to share the stage with one of my all-time favorite artists, and I can’t wait to meet him in person!” Having released twelve albums of original material since founding her own label MPress Records, she originally identified with Jones’ music as a teenager because, as she puts it, “He came from a classical place at the piano and so did I. He played synthesizer and so did I. But mainly it was because his lyrics just seemed so incredibly honest and compassionate. And vocally, it felt like he was singing just to you.”
Though based in New York City, Rachael has recently been spending more time in England, where she’s developed a strong fan-base by performing at events such as the Cornbury Music Festival, London Pride and London Acoustic Music Festival as well as larger tours with a variety of artists including Judy Collins, Sadie & The Hotheads (featuring Elizabeth McGovern) and John Barrowman. In the U.S., she’s shared stages with Ani DiFranco, Shawn Colvin, Marc Cohn and many others. “I just love performing, and any captive audience is one I feel fortunate to have a chance to engage and hopefully, uplift. I’m one of those introverted extroverts who feels most comfortable on stage, and after gigs I love meeting people and hearing their reactions to the music. I can’t wait to meet fellow Howard Jones fans, both on and off the stage.”